Using material from item a and elsewhere asses the functionalist view that religion benefits both society as a whole and its individual members (18 marks)

Functionalists believe society is built up of different institutions that work together to make society work, religion is one of these institutions and helps society with its need for solidarity and social order. Like mentioned in Item A functionalists view religion as a positive thing and argue that it uses a shared set of norms and values to bring people together into a community. They say this gives everyone a sense of belonging which benefits both individuals and the community as a whole.
Durkheim said the thing we need to understand is the difference between the sacred and the profane as this was a key element to religion. The sacred are items that are set apart from the others and inspire awe, fear and wonder whereas the profane are mundane everyday objects. He suggested the sacred objects represent society, and in turn, when they are being worshiped through rituals the members are worshipping society itself. He thought by looking at studies of the Arunta clan he could observe the features of religion. He found the clan members’ sacred item was the totem and when they gathered together to worship it through rituals they were worshipping society. The totem was a recognisable item and gave the members a better sense of belonging. Durkheim said the sacred symbols represent society’s collective conscience. This helps the community as a whole by making social interaction easier and maintaining social integration. It also helps individuals by giving them strength and motivation to get through everyday life.
However religion isn’t always a positive influence on society and there are many times it has caused conflict. An example of this can be found in today’s news as ISIS have caused many problems worldwide